ICE detainee in Berkeley ID'd as 30-year-old Moroccan man
He is "currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings," according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
An individual arrested by federal agents last week in Berkeley has been identified as a 30-year-old Moroccan man, an ICE spokesperson told The Scanner today.
The man had entered the United States on a visa in 2024 "but later violated the terms of that visa," according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which provided no other legal basis for the arrest.
He is "currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings," according to the prepared statement.
The Scanner was the first news outlet to report the arrest.
Nikolas De Bremaeker, managing attorney with the Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership (ACILEP), a project of Centro Legal de la Raza, said last week's arrest was the first known ICE detention in Berkeley under the current administration, though he said others may have taken place without drawing public scrutiny.
As of publication time, ICE had not responded to a request for details about prior Berkeley arrests.
Emilie Raguso
In addition to its legal advocacy on behalf of detained individuals, ACILEP tracks ICE arrests around the Bay Area, sending in "verifiers" to monitor the activity when it is reported immediately.
In this case, De Bremaeker said neither the detained man nor his family had contacted ACILEP, which limited the organization's ability to assist him. But he said it's not too late.
"We encourage anyone with information about the arrest or the detained person to contact ACILEP," he said Thursday afternoon.
ACILEP's hotline can be reached by phone at 510-241-4011 and email at info@acilep.org.
De Bremaeker urged anyone who is detained, as well as those seeking help for them, to call in quickly to allow time for emergency legal filings.
"Courts are overwhelmingly finding these detentions unlawful and unconstitutional," he said. "Just this week, federal courts have so far ordered two releases in habeas petitions filed by our attorneys."
De Bremaeker said Centro Legal de la Raza has been seeing an increase in detentions related to visa overstays.
Meanwhile, ICE described detention as "a choice" and encouraged people to "take control of their departure" with the CBP Home mobile application, adding that ICE is offering "$2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now."
"We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream," according to the statement. "If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return."
Centro Legal de la Raza urged community members to be cautious about pursuing federal support to leave.
"We have reports of people being detained after taking this offer, and strongly warn against doing so without first speaking with an attorney," De Bremaeker said.
The Berkeley arrest came amid a spike in violence related to ICE activity in other states in recent weeks, with deaths reported in Texas, Florida and Maine.
The Scanner will share additional details if they become available.
Note: This story was updated slightly after publication to include several additional details.
